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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648434">Dress (Shirt) Shopping</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinasMask/pseuds/MinasMask'>MinasMask</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Behavior, Episode: s02e05 Same Stitch, Fluff and Humor, Jealous John Doe (Telltale), M/M, Possessive Behavior, Secret Identity, Shopping, Sort Of, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Vigilante Route (Telltale), no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:01:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,709</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648434</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinasMask/pseuds/MinasMask</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Oh... sorry about the blood"</p><p>When John had apologized for ruining his shirt, this really wasn't the thing Bruce had had in mind. (aka "the boys go shopping and John gets jealous", inspired by the hug in episode 04)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Doe &amp; Bruce Wayne, John Doe/Bruce Wayne, Joker (DCU)/Bruce Wayne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>117</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dress (Shirt) Shopping</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is my first ever fanfiction completely written in English (because English is not my first language), but I hope you still enjoy!</p><p>Thank you so much Telltale, for your amazing game and for all these <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXPfDU0J2fI">unused voice lines</a> that really inspired this and <a href="https://restartyourstyle.com/1018/shirts-fit/">this random men's style website</a>, that taught me how you really check if a shirt fits you.</p><p>also, thanks go out to my best friend for being my biggest supporter &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"Bruce! Buddy! What's it been? A week? Two weeks? Sorry I didn't call sooner. I've had to stay low. Real low. Like, underground. Every time I pop up Waller's idiots are there, and they don't seem to care whether they bring me in alive. I gave her Harley - the girl of my DREAMS - on that bridge, and what did I get for thanks? Waller tried to shoot me! The only thing she cares about is getting the virus back, and that ain't happening. Well I'm sick of keeping out of sight. I put together a little crew. It's time to get things moving again. Our plan. To bring them all to justice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh, right, and before I forget, I'll meet you later today. I think I owe you one of those fancy shirts.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You know, because of all the blood..."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>∞</p><p> </p><p>When John had apologized for ruining his shirt, this really wasn't the thing Bruce had had in mind.</p><p>Two weeks had passed since John's so-called "momentary episode" and the arrest of Harley Quinn through the Agency, who had promptly tried to kill John simply for helping them.</p><p>Bruce felt the anger seep through him one more time. Followed by a glimpse of relief. At least he got to see John again. God, he had been so terrified to lose him. He couldn't sleep at all the first few nights. Alfred was getting worried a lot too, lately. His condition was getting worse and worse. But he just couldn't change how much John meant to him, even though the plan had been to use him for information and not get too attached. If only everything had worked out that way.</p><p> </p><p>Fuck Waller, and her empty promises.</p><p> </p><p>Bruce got out of the car, looking around and immediately noticed John.</p><p>John. - But also not John at all. He looked so different. His hair looked better kept than ever, even though Bruce had liked his unruly hair before. Seemingly standing up straight with more confidence, while also maintaining his signature weird, lanky posture. All while waving frantically and giggling at the same time. So, still <em>his</em> John.</p><p>Bruce awkwardly waved back and smiled. He had been dreading to buy new clothes, but Alfred had insisted, and John's voicemail hadn't really left him a chance.</p><p>Before he even had a chance to process everything, John is already rushing towards him. Throwing his arms around him in a tight hug, before immediately backing up and giving him space again.</p><p>"Bruce! Buddy, I missed you!"</p><p>He felt John's hand on his back, pushing him towards the boutique and just let him. While looking around, he noticed some people with clown make-up. John had already told him, that he had put together a "little crew", but did that really mean that his goons where going to watch them every time and everywhere now? And where they even goons or just some kind of fans?</p><p>He couldn't really think about it, because John was already talking again.</p><p>"I told them Bruce Wayne was coming and they didn't believe me at first-" He opened the door to the boutique and glared at the shop assistant, who stood patiently waiting by the door. "But as soon as they saw your car coming, they closed of the entire store!" He giggled. "I feel like a rockstar!"</p><p>"I thought I should take you somewhere... familiar. You know, a fancy place like this." The shop assistant took care of closing the door behind them, while John was grinning manically. "Even though, you'd be amazed at what you can find at thrift stores. But also, on mannequins in fancy stores when no one is looking."</p><p>Bruce gave him a disapproving glare and he just smiled at him sheepishly. "Oh, and don't you worry about money, Buddy. I stole the diamonds we were supposed to pay the cat lady with, when this was all over. She won't need them now anyways."</p><p>"John, I-"</p><p>"Not John, please, don't-"</p><p>John seemed really agitated and that in turn got Bruce worried almost immediately. He didn't really seem to want to tell him his reasons for his intense reaction to his name, but Bruce thought maybe it had to do with his new persona, or maybe the fact that they were in public, although he couldn't really figure out what the problem here was.</p><p>He paused for a few seconds. "Jay?"</p><p>"Way better, Buddy, way better. I promise I'll explain later. You know... at our grand debut."</p><p>John, or Jay in this case, always had had a thing for the dramatics, so maybe it was all really just about his vigilante persona. Relieved, Bruce let out an inaudible sigh and then looked around the store. Except for them and the assistant, nobody was in here. Not that he had expected anything else, because John truly had never lied to him before.</p><p>"Which reminds me, Buddy is a bit weird now, right? Now, that I'm buying you clothes." John giggled, suddenly in a much better mood. "What about Bunny? Buttercup? Baby Cakes? Bubble Butt? Baby Doll?" He giggled and giggled, and Bruce felt his blood rush to his cheeks while he struggled to breathe normally. "Oh, I know, Beautiful suits you best."</p><p> </p><p>The stop assistant cleared her throat and Bruce gave her an apologetic yet also grateful smile. "I've already prepared some of our finest dress shirts, Mr. Wayne. If you would follow me?" She turned her back to them and began walking to the back of the boutique.</p><p>John gave him a light shove and Bruce followed. The shop assistant had turned around and was holding up a dark blue shirt. "I think you would look stunning in blue, Mr. Wayne."</p><p>He never really gave colours much thought, but John looked very excited, so he nodded.</p><p>The shop assistant brought out more and more shirts and he tried them all on, while she and John waited outside his dressing room. He could tell they were both very excited about dressing him, even though the assistant hid it well behind her professional mask. He decided to humour them both, even though he still didn't quite know exactly why John wanted to buy him a new shirt. Sure, he had ruined one of his boring white shirts, but was that really the real reason behind all this?</p><p> </p><p>Finally, it was time for the last shirt. It had a maroon colour and Bruce quite liked its fit. Not as much as the shop assistant and John though, because the latter even let out an excited squeal when he saw him. "Bruce, you are seriously the most handsome man I've ever seen." He clapped his hands and the shop assistant nodded professionally, but Bruce couldn't help but notice a certain light glimmering in her eyes. "Seriously. The most handsome. I've never seen anyone more handsome than you, even on TV!"</p><p>Bruce felt himself blushing again and John took a step toward him, leaning into his space yet again.</p><p>"Let me spoil you rotten, Brucie.", he whispered, grinning widely.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, a phone rang, and the shop assistant had a brief look of surprise on her face, before smiling politely again. "Gentleman, will you excuse me for a moment?"</p><p>They both just nodded and didn't really pay her much mind. John was giggling again, seemingly not able to stop himself, while Bruce turned around to unsuccessfully hide his embarrassment by looking at himself in the mirror.</p><p>"Do you know how you test if a shirt really fits you?" Bruce raised an eyebrow, not fully convinced that he trusted John to know that, but then again deciding to humour him. He shook his head. "You need to tuck it in, when trying it on.", John said while reaching around and doing exactly that. Bruce felt himself holding in his breath, feeling the traces that John's hands left on his body, even through the fabric of his shirt. He finally stopped, apparently satisfied with the tuck and let his hands stay on Bruce's waist. "Now raise you hands above your head and see if it stays tucked."</p><p>Bruce could see his grin when looking at him through the mirror and how he was standing right behind him. Without thinking, he started raising his hands above his head. John's hands hadn't moved at all.</p><p>When he had moved his hands completely above his head, John leaned forwards, as if to whisper into his ear, but didn't say anything. Instead he just looked right into Bruce's eyes. Unwavering. He must have gotten on his tiptoes for it to even work, but Bruce couldn't think about that right now. Not while <em>his</em> hands remained on his waist and <em>his</em> eyes gazed at him like that.</p><p>Wordlessly, he stared into those bright green eyes and swallowed as his mouth suddenly felt dry. John stared deep into his eyes for a moment longer, and it seemed like he was looking deep into Bruce's soul, ripping apart all the lies and disguises he had built around himself, just like he had at the fun house.</p><p> </p><p>∞</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"You forget, I know you. The real you."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>When he had said these words, Bruce hadn't been able to suppress the shiver slowly creeping its way down his spine, let alone move away from him. Wide eyes staring into his bright green ones, mouth hanging open ever so slightly. John had been grinning, just as he was now.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Always hiding behind some kind of mask. Playboy, businessman, criminal... Bat. You can't fool a friend. Someone who really takes the time to look. You are the Batman."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>∞</p><p> </p><p>Again, they were interrupted by the shop assistant clearing her throat. John took a step back, giggling again as if nothing had happened. "I was just showing Bruce how to... reach for things!"</p><p>His voice sounded a bit  hoarse and Bruce cleared his throat as well, dropping his hands as fast as he possibly could, too scared to think about what might have happened, hadn't they been interrupted.</p><p>The assistant smiley sweetly as if she hadn't noticed the strange tension between her two customers. She let her eyes roam over Bruce, making him feel uncomfortable, while biting he inside of her cheek. She seemed less professionell and more relaxed now. It was quite similar to the way John had looked at him just now, but at the same time it made him feel entirely different.</p><p>"Don't we all." She laughed and Bruce almost let himself flinch.</p><p>He was used to being charming or playing the role of the playboy, still, usually he was the one initiating these kinds of conversations and just like Harley's flirting, the shop assistant had made him feel really uncomfortable. It had never quite felt right, when he was with John. Maybe it really was like he had said, nothing more than a facade to keep the charade up. He looked over to John.</p><p>John had that face. The same face he had made, when Harley had offered Bruce some of her slushie. But then suddenly, like a storm in the middle of summer, his face faltered, and his expression morphed into something Bruce wasn't used to seeing on his face.</p><p>An uncontrollable cheek-splitting smile was beginning to form on John's lips.</p><p>All while his stare remained hard and intense, almost murderous.</p><p>"I know. Who wouldn't fall for him?"</p><p>John giggled menacingly and before Bruce could even blink, he was standing right in front of the assistant, his hands around her throat. He didn't seem to be squeezing just yet, but the look on the assistant's face told Bruce that he was very close to doing exactly that.</p><p>"John-"</p><p>John flinched and turned around to look at him, hands still around her throat.</p><p>"What did I tell you...", he said in a playful tone, that at the same time wasn't playful at all.</p><p>"Sorry, Jay, please let her go. You're scaring her." John scoffed, but he looked at him pleadingly. "We can just pay and go to Café Triste and get a milkshake for you and an espresso for me and just talk? You need to tell me what you've been up to anyways."</p><p>John sighed. "You're very persuasive, anyone ever told you that? I just can't say no to you, Bruce. That Wayne charm really is something, isn't it?" He let the assistant go, patting her on her shoulders and Bruce immediately relaxed his shoulders, that had tensed up without his notice.</p><p>"We'll take this and then leave.", he said sternly with a cold stare toward the assistant. He did feel sorry for her, but he also wanted to make it very clear, that she'd better not tell anybody about this. Dealing with John was his job, not the police's nor the Agency's.</p><p> </p><p>Even while John paying, he couldn't seem to stop giggling the entire time, until they were outside, where Bruce dragged him into the next alleyway beside the store, so his goons couldn't intervene.</p><p>Bruce was already standing almost inappropriately close to John. His Hands were gripping tightly around John's wrists, staring intensely into those damn bright green eyes. "Jay, you know you can't just do things like that! Do you even remember me saying that we need to have a serious talk about all this?" He glared at him, trying his best to give off an angry impression, because while he was truly angry about how he had treated the poor shop assistant, he could also never really stay mad at John, no matter how hard he tried.</p><p>"There's the Bruce I fell for back in Arkham!", John giggled.</p><p>"I'm serious, Jay!" He tightened his grip around John's wrists ever so slightly and John looked at their hands, grinning even wider than before, as if that even was possible. "Is this what's considered flirting these days?" He paused and giggled some more. "Because it's certainly working on me!"</p><p>Bruce groaned and let go of his wrists, taking a step back.</p><p>Sometimes he really didn't know what to do with John. He seemed just like the friend he met in Arkham Asylum one second and completely different the next.  It wasn't just his personality, where he was getting all kinds of mixed signals though. The last few days he had been contemplating, what he really felt for John and what John possibly really felt for him. He had betrayed Harley, the so proclaimed "girl of his dreams" for him and sometimes he was looking at him as though...</p><p>"Oh, Baby Doll, why are you making such a sour face?", John interrupted his thoughts once again.</p><p>Bruce's eyes darted up to meet John's, who was smiling his uncontrollable cheek-splitting smile again, while taking a step towards him. He was completely in his space once again and slowly slowly reached up to put one of his hands on Bruce's shoulder. The hand didn't stay there though, it started slowly making its way up Bruce's throat, up to his left cheek, that must have gained some colour by now. He completely lost control of his expressions right then and there. His breath quickening more and more.</p><p>"That's better.", John cooed, "You really know the way to a guy's heart."</p><p>Before he could even answer, he felt John lean into his space even more and planting a single, fleeting kiss on his cheek. Completely enraptured, Bruce froze up. It had been a very tender kiss, but it almost felt as if John's lips were still right there. Bruce's heart was pounding in his chest, and it was taking every single inch of his self control not to wrap up John in his arms and close the almost non-existent gap between their lips. Instead, he just found himself staring wide-eyed into those beautiful, bright green eyes, while John giggled.</p><p> </p><p>Someone had just moved into the alleyway and Bruce tensed, but he didn't move. He couldn't move.</p><p>Their breaths were mixing, John's hand still right there on his cheek. Their eyes completely focused on each other. The space between them so small and it was almost like they were drifting closer and closer...</p><p>"Boss, we need to go. The Agency-"</p><p>"Sorry Beautiful, but alas, I need to bail. See you... at our grand debut."</p><p> </p><p>And with that... John was gone again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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